"We can never assume that because a woman is older that she will not cope with surgery or that she is less interested in body image than a younger woman. It is our duty to ensure that every cancer patient has access to the best possible care.

"We can no longer tolerate the present situation where too many cancer doctors are making assumptions based on age which often result in older women receiving inadequate care for their breast cancer."

Dr Rachel Greig, senior policy officer at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "It is startling to think that we could have a million older women living with breast cancer within a generation. It shows that we have a rapidly ageing population - but also that we are getting much better at treating women with breast cancer.

"However, increasingly we should think less about the age of patients, and more about their individual need. This will ensure the best standards of care for women living with the disease."